Word: self-control
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...great impact. Researchers at the University of Georgia last month published a study of 641 adolescents, ages 11 to 16, some of whom carried the short allele form of the gene 5-HTTLPR - a genetic condition found in about 40% of the general population and long associated with low self-control, binge drinking and substance use. Half of the participants were randomly enrolled in drug prevention programs. After five years, those participants with 5-HTTLPR who were enrolled in a prevention program were no more likely than their counterparts in the comparison group, without the gene, to have engaged...
...problem is that while many initiate these side tasks with the intention of only drifting away from class for a short period of time, we often don’t have that self-control. More and more of our attention is taken up by reading blogs or clicking through Wikipedia, until we’ve de-prioritized listening to everything but the most essential concepts...
Wilcox thinks the mechanism at work here is what's known as "vicarious goal fulfillment." People who excel at self-control are very good at remaining mindful of an objective and keeping it in focus. When that goal is, say, finishing a term paper, they outperform other people at ignoring distracting options like going to a movie. When that goal is eating well, they're better at resisting distractions like ice cream and pizza. But when a virtuous choice is actually made available, the goal may feel fulfilled even when it hasn't been. Once they have that illusion that...
...only people with high self-control who slip up this way - and that can lead to real problems. In the real world, menus contain a lot more than just four options, and anyone confronted with a plate of greens may be tempted to plunge even deeper into the high-calorie, high-fat wasteland that lies beyond mere french fries and Oreos. What's more, vicarious goal fulfillment plays out in subtler ways too. People who are mindful about staying active and working out often notice that on days when they've gone to the gym, they're more inclined...
...phenomenon is akin to the exhaustion of self-control - that is, one act of self-control weakens your ability to commit to another. For example, people who never touch a drop of alcohol during the week may be more inclined to go nuts on weekends, or someone who successfully resists buying a new jacket one day may be twice as likely to spring for a pair of shoes the next. As with all behaviors that seem hardwired into us, the best solution - maybe the only solution - might simply be to remain vigilant...